


Goodbye

by dianalilwashu



Category: Tattered Weave (Video Game)
Genre: Gen, Secret Quest spoilers, someone send help i do not know the gotdang tag etiquette here
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-22
Updated: 2018-02-22
Packaged: 2019-03-22 15:03:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 784
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13766664
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dianalilwashu/pseuds/dianalilwashu
Summary: "Say goodbye to mother."





	Goodbye

**Author's Note:**

> This drabble contains SPOILERS for Celariel and Othidar's Secret Quests. Also please remember this isn't canon. xD

The King would not be pleased. Reluctantly Othidar collected the sparse handful of ripe berries to take back with his game, mentally calculating how best to spread out their thinning reserves. Being promoted to Royal Huntsman should have come as an honor, not a stab in the back. No, that wasn’t fair. He shouldn’t begrudge the King his grief…

Deep-seated pain wondered achingly, what of his own grief? Othidar stubbornly buried it deeper. There was no room for his sorrow, his fury, his helplessness; not when there was a Withered Forest to feed. Someone had to drag them through this blight, and the court had enough useless mourning to cover his share. 

His eyes scanned the foliage as he went, used to seeing movement among the brush from all sorts of living creatures, ranging from the littlest insects to the largest game. After the attack, the Withering had left the entire place too still, eerie in its muted beauty, only the wind left to stir its branches. Empty. Othidar felt empty, too. Longingly he cast his eyes upward, to the Heart of the Forest now shrouded from all but the royal family - his heart stopped. The veil was parted, magic in full view to his own commoner’s sight. He dropped everything he had and sprinted through the trees, leaping off tall roots to swing upwards on vines toward the open doorway, his mind racing past him. Another attack? Who but the blood of Merlin could break the Queen’s spell? His throat caught on the terrifying thought of Celariel taken by force, her untrained magic used against her will -

Othidar landed hard in the wooden doorway and flung aside the protective veil, gasping for breath. Celariel jumped with a shriek, spinning away from her mother to stare at him. Though she had tears in her eyes, she was alone, and Othidar sank to his knees in shaky relief. “I-I thought only we could come in here,” she stammered at him. She rushed to his side, gripping his sleeves, and whispered, “Please don’t tell father!”

His heart ached. “Celariel, you have to seal the veil behind you to keep hidden,” he managed, shaking his head. He put a hand over her own tiny fingers and forced a smile. “I won’t tell. But you’re not supposed to be here, sweetheart.”

“Mother said I could visit,” Celariel protested guiltily. “She outranks father.”

“I dare say she wouldn’t like to hear you say that,” he said gently, getting to his feet and pulling her up with him. At fourteen years old, Celariel was still small enough to carry with ease, and the recent tragedy had turned her clingy. She wrapped herself around him in a hug that was entirely defensive, a child’s way of seeking comfort and protection. He held her tight. 

“Why? It’s true. Right, Mother?” Celariel addressed this to the Queen, her eyes closed in concentration where she was bodily rooted to the Heart. The Queen didn’t answer.

Othidar swallowed past the lump in his throat and turned them both away from the Queen. “Celariel, your mother needs to keep her concentration,” he explained slowly, trying not to let his voice falter. “Even if she said you could visit her, you must be content to simply visit for now. The Forest is in dire need of her magic, and speaking to you might distract her. That’s why your father told you not to come. Besides, it’s not polite to use rank to overrule someone. You outrank me, you know, but I hope that doesn’t stop you from heeding my advice.”

Celariel sighed sadly and dropped her chin onto his shoulder, tucking her face into the crook of his neck. He felt the wet from her earlier tears against his skin. “But I miss her.”

He stroked her hair silently for a few moments. “Me too.” He didn’t mean to let his voice crack like that. Clearing his throat, he walked them toward the open doorway and pat Celariel twice on the back to get her attention. “But rules are there for a reason, dear heart. Your mother must maintain her focus. The Heart must remain hidden. Close the veil for us now, please. I’ll take you home.”

“Goodbye, mother,” Celariel called softly, reluctantly sitting up and reaching with one hand for the veil. She paused and told Othidar, “Say goodbye to mother.”

Othidar waited until he could breathe evenly again. “Goodbye, Your Majesty.” With that, Celariel pulled the magic veil closed and the Heart of the Forest was invisible to him again, its contents as far from his own heart as ever. Othidar clutched Celariel all the tighter - she returned his desperate grip - and they headed home.


End file.
